Scarborough 2, Westbrook 0Big win but bigger loss

SCARBOROUGH — Brendan Hall doubled in a run and Jayme Lappin provided three innings of shutout relief as Scarborough beat Westbrook 2-0 in a Telegram League baseball game Tuesday night.

The victory may have come at a huge cost to the Red Storm (12-2), the top-ranked team in Western Class A.

Additional Photos

Westbrook catcher Kyle Heath gets plenty of encouragement Tuesday night while settling under a foul pop fly in front of the Blue Blazes’ bench. Heath made the catch but Westbrook lost the Telegram League game at Scarborough, 2-0. Photos by John Ewing/Staff Photographer

Scarborough shortstop Joe Cronin makes an off-balance throw to first base Tuesday night after making a bare-handed grab of a slow infield roller. Despite Cronin’s play, the runner was safe at first.

Jayme Lappin took over on the mound for Scarborough after starter Ben Wessel left with an injury, and shut down Westbrook for three innings. John Ewing/Staff Photographer

“He said he heard something pop in his elbow and he went to the hospital,” said Scarborough Coach Mike Coutts. “I don’t know anything yet so we’ll see.

“Even if it’s not anything real serious, you have to assume that he’s not going to throw for a while. Obviously his health is the No. 1 priority and you hope nothing happened.”

Despite departing prematurely, Wessel improved to 6-0 on the season. He threw 51 pitches, allowing two hits with four strikeouts.

The injury forced Lappin, a junior left-hander, into emergency duty. He had to quickly prepare to enter the game, forgoing his normal starting routine.

He threw as many pitches as he could to get his arm stretched out while his team was retired in order in the fourth.

“I honestly didn’t know what happened to (Wessel),” said Lappin, who earned his first save of the season to go with two complete-game wins.

“You just always have to be ready for anything and keep your mind in the game when you are sitting on the bench doing the pitch chart and stuff. Once that time comes, you just have to get mentally focused, start throwing strikes and hitting your spots.”

Lappin, who allowed five hits and struck out three in three innings, wasn’t overpowering but did manage to wiggle out of difficulty after he retired the first three batters he faced.

Westbrook (9-4) had two on with one out in the sixth and didn’t score.

In the seventh, the Blue Blazes loaded the bases with two outs before Kyle Heath flew to right to end the game.

“Usually we get a big hit every game and that kind of keeps us going,” said Westbrook Coach Greg Souza. “We’ve had a lot of four- and five-hit wins, but today we just couldn’t get the big hit.”

Scarborough, which loaded the bases in the first but came away empty, scored its first run in the second.

Aaron Ravin doubled to lead off the inning. Four batters later, Hall smacked a double down the third base-line that easily scored Ravin and the Red Storm led 1-0.

Scarborough added a run in the sixth.

Ravin and Greg Viola reached on errors before Joe Cronin singled to make it 2-0.

Westbrook starter Keenan Lowe took the loss after allowing six hits and striking out three in six innings.

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